This is an open forum for staff members, contributers, and fans alike to submit their reviews on the latest music releases and concerts. In an industry that is drowning with overprocessed, grossly overrated, unoriginal crap these days, this is our chance to allow the real stars to shine, if only on our humble, little stage; and expose you to some of our favorite talents.
Reviews are given 1 - 5 stars.
Disc 1
1. Queen Of The Reich (from the EP Queensrÿche)
2. Warning (from the album The Warning)
3. Walk In The Shadows (from the album Rage For Order)
4. Take Hold Of The Flame (from the album The Warning)
5. The Lady Wore Black (from the EP Queensrÿche)
6. I Don’t Believe In Love (from the album Operation: Mindcrime)
7. Eyes Of A Stranger (from the album Operation: Mindcrime)
8. Silent Lucidity (from the album Empire)
9. Bridge (from the album Promised Land)
10. Jet City Woman (from the album Empire)
11. Another Rainy Night (Without You) (from the album Empire)
12. Sign Of The Times (from the album Hear In The Now Frontier)
13. I Am I (from the album Promised Land)
14. Real World (from the Last Action Hero soundtrack album; also a bonus track from the reissued version of the album Promised Land)
15. Some People Fly (from the album Hear In The Now Frontier)
16. Until There Was You (bonus track from the reissued version of the album Q2K)
17. All The Promises (from the album Operation: Mindcrime II)
Disc 2
1. Take Hold Of The Flame - Myth (Original Demo Version) (previously unreleased)
2. Walk In The Shadows – Myth (Original Demo Version) (previously unreleased)
3. Before The Storm - Myth (Original Demo Version) (previously unreleased)
4. Waiting For The Kill (previously unreleased: demo for The Warning)
5. No Sanctuary (previously unreleased: demo for The Warning)
6. Prophecy (previously unreleased: demo for The Warning)
7. I Dream In Infrared (1991 Acoustic Remix: bonus track from the reissued version of the album Rage For Order)
8. Dirty Lil Secret (bonus track from the reissued version of the album Empire)
9. Last Time In Paris (from the soundtrack album The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane; also a bonus track from the reissued version of the album Empire)
10. Scarborough Fair (bonus track from the reissued version of the album Empire)
11. Della Brown (previously unreleased: “MTV Unplugged,” New York, NY 4/27/92)
12. Someone Else? (with full band: bonus track from the reissued version of the album Promised Land)
13. Silent Lucidity (live at The Astoria Theatre, London 10/20/94: from the “Bridge” CD single)
14. Chasing Blue Sky (bonus track from the reissued album Hear In The Now Frontier)
15. Justified (NEW TRACK)
My first exposure to Queensryche was in 1984 when they opened for KISS. Before that, I knew nothing about them. Anything I knew about bands (pre-internet) was from reading Circus or Hit Parader magazines and little else. In fact, I had a hard time even trying to repeat the name of the band over and over again not certain if I was even close to saying it right. But the one thing I recall about the performance was the energy that each band member brought to that show and it stuck with me long enough to go buy their cassette (again dating myself) at the merchandise area. 23 years later and I’m still as big a fan now as I was then. That’s why a Queensryche greatest hits package is so tough to put together because this is not a top 40 band or even a band with a ton of radio hits, but with ten studio albums to pull from the task did have to be met and we have a winnner here folks!
Disc one goes through each studio effort and basically pulls the staples of the band’s trademark sound; soaring vocals from Geoff Tate and amazing fluid guitar work from both Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton. Multiple tracks from 1988’s Operation Mindcrime and 1990’s Empire fill up the majority of disc one. One surprise was the inclusion of 3 tracks off the bands 1983 original self titled EP which only had 5 songs in total. Only one track off of 1986’s Rage For Order is some what of a shock to me personally because that’s my favorite Ryche release to date. If I were on an island and could only take one cd with me, that would be it.
Disc two is the real champ here and reason enough for even hardcore fans of this band to go and buy this now. 15 tracks total, some of which have been released as B-sides to singles, movie soundtrack extras, original demo versions of songs, cover versions of songs done on MTV Unplugged and even a brand new track Justified which I hope gets added to the set list when the bands plays on their upcoming tour with Heaven & Hell and Alice Cooper this fall.
Hearing the Pre-Queensryche band Myth tracks are of particular interest because these are tracks that Ryche used later on but sound nothing like the versions that were later recorded. Last Time In Paris from the Andrew Dice Clay classic movie The Adventures Of Ford Fairlane was and is one of my favorite Ryche songs of all time and it finally get’s it just due by being included here. I never really cared much for the cover Ryche did of Scarborough Fair, the Simon/Garfunkel classic but I better be prepared for the next Rych release set for Nov 13 called Take Cover, an Adventurous 11 song collection of covers ranging from Black Sabbath to Broadway. Hmmm Geoff singing Ethyl Merman would be cool..There’s No Business Like Show Business with the high leg kicks..yeah I can see that.
Reviewed by: Roger Scales | August 2007
